Where was Jesus baptized? - NET Where was Jesus baptized? Written by Stephen Langfur with additional research and writing by Micah Key The Jordan today The place where John baptized Jesus is uncertain. Yet no one doubts the historical event. The early Church would never have preserved a tradition of Jesus' baptism by John if it weren't an actual memory. For it implies, on the face of things, that Jesus needed purification through the good graces of the Baptist. That is why the Gospels stress that John pronounced himself unworthy and that Jesus allowed it, saying, "All righteousness must be fulfilled" (Matthew 3:15). To Josephus, John was the better known of the two.

It is likely that the Church preserved his works because of the following passage: Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's [Antipas’s] army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness.

Now when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure to him.

(Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews XVIII 5.2, translated by William Whiston.) Note the reference to people coming “in crowds about him” and the “great influence he had.” After John’s death, we shall see below, these newly leaderless crowds may have been those for whom Jesus felt pity, calling them “sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34). Matthew and Mark set the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River near the wilderness at a site accessible from Jerusalem . Luke 3:1-22 tells us that the Baptist received the Word of God in the wilderness and then "came into all the region around the Jordan." John locates the event precisely at "Bethany beyond the Jordan," but the name is unattested elsewhere. The Baptismal Site in Matthew and Mark Matthew (3: 1-17) has the Baptist "preaching in the wilderness of Judea," and "people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him….

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him." But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1: 4-9 also places the event in the Jordan River, at a place accessible to people from Judea and Jerusalem. In line with these two evangelists, tradition has recognized the baptism in the River Jordan east of Jericho. This area in the wilderness of Judea would have been most accessible to people from Jerusalem. But where was the river 2000 years ago? It changes course unpredictably.

In 1485 a monk named Francesco Suriano wrote: “At present the river has changed its bed by a mile" (quoted in Piccirillo ). In addition, since the 1960's the Jordan has become much smaller, because Israel, Syria and the Kingdom of Jordan all make use of its sources. We cannot know, therefore, where Jesus stood – near the east bank, near the west bank? We don't even know where the banks were. Some of the sites that are today shown on the east bank might have been on the west or hovering on arches above the river at floodtime! Compounding the problem, our sources are Byzantine except for Origen, who is not helpful here. Byzantine traditions are not reliable unless supported by further considerations. Three centuries passed, after all, between the events of Jesus' ministry and the first pilgrim accounts, or the first commemorative churches. Tour guides, shopkeepers and purveyors of saints' bones all had a financial interest in finding Biblical places. When additional evidence is lacking for a place's authenticity, one must always ask, “Were Christians continuously present here during the three problem centuries, preserving the memory?" Seldom can such continuity be demonstrated.

The first extant pilgrim's account comes from the Itinerarium Burdigalense (par. 598), the anonymous report of a journey from Bordeaux in France to the Holy Land in 333 AD. The pilgrim mentions going five Roman miles upstream from the Dead Sea to the baptismal site of Jesus. He also mentions “a place by the river, a little hill upon the further bank, from which Elijah was caught up into heaven.” [My italics – SL]. This would be Tel el-Kharrar, or the Hill of Elijah, which 2 Kings 2:11 sets on the east bank. The reference to its location on “the further bank” indicates that in this pilgrim’s day, the baptismal site itself was located on the west. And then we have a pilgrim named Theodosius, visiting the land between 515 and 530. He writes: At the place where my Lord was baptized is a marble column, and on top of it has been set an iron cross. There also is the Church of Saint John Baptist, which was constructed by the Emperor Anastasius. It stands on great vaults which are high enough for when the Jordan is in flood.

(Theodosius, De Situ Terrae Sanctae, 20). Like the Bordeaux pilgrim, Theodosius locates the hill from which Elijah was taken up, which he calls Little Mount Hermon, across the river from the baptismal site. A pilgrim named Arculf, around 680, also mentions a church on vaults. He gives this description (speaking of himself in the third person): The holy, venerable spot at which the Lord was baptized by John is permanently covered by the water of the River Jordan. Arculf, who reached the place, and swam across the river both ways, says that a tall wooden cross has been set up on the holy place...The position of this cross where, as we have said, the Lord was baptized, is on the near side of the river bed. A strong man using a sling can throw a stone from there to the far bank on the Arabian side. From this cross a stone causeway supported on arches stretches to the bank, and people approaching the cross go down a ramp and return up by it to reach the bank.

Right at the river's edge stands a small rectangular church which was built, so it is said, at the place where the Lord's clothes were placed when he was baptized. The fact that it is supported on four stone vaults, makes it usable, since the water, which comes in from all sides, is underneath it. It has a tiled roof. This remarkable church is supported, as we have said, by arches and vaults, and stands in the lower part of the valley through which the Jordan flows. But in the upper part there is a great monastery for monks, which has been built on the brow of a small hill nearby, overlooking the church. There is also a church built there in honour of Saint John Baptist which, together with the monastery, is enclosed in a single masonry wall. ( Source .) Clearly, Arculf identified the baptismal site on the west bank of his day, but we said we’re not going to worry about banks, because the river shifts. On today’s east bank, near the river, stand the ruins of a church dating from the late Byzantine period. It was built near the remains of two earlier churches, the earliest of which was set on vaults.

This was probably the church that was seen by the pilgrims Theodosius and Arculf. Micah Key describes the setting: “The air here is warm and muggy. All around, flies buzz incessantly and the white clay-like soil softly crunches underfoot. Down by the banks of the muddy river grows a lush thicket of reeds, tough tamarisk and willows.” The growth reminds us that we are in the Syro-African Rift. This is the kind of setting alluded to in Zechariah 11:3 as the ‘pride of Jordan.’ Lions used to be hunted here, and we think of Jeremiah 49:19. The Madaba map shows a lion emerging from a thicket near the Jordan. We follow Wadi al-Kharrar two miles to the east, passing a “laura,” a complex of hermits’ lodgings, mentioned by the 6th century Anonymous of Piacenza in his Placentinus: In that part of the Jordan is the spring where Saint John used to baptize, and which is two miles from the Jordan, and Elijah was in that valley when the raven brought him bread and meat. The whole valley is full of hermits.

Next to the laura is large pool built with courses of sandstone. The wadi continues past two caves, both containing prayer niches for the use of hermits and monks. These caves figure in a 7th-century account by Johannes Moschus called the Spiritual Meadow. He tells of a monk who had started on a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai but had become feverish after crossing the Jordan. While he was recovering in a cave at the laura, the Baptist appeared to him and told him to cancel his trip, saying, “this little cave is greater than Mount Sinai. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself has come here to pay me a visit.” Returned to health, the monk transformed the cave into a church for the nearby hermits. "It is the place which is called Sapsas near the Jordan" writes Johannes Moschus. Sapsas means willow in Arabic. At the head of Wadi al-Kharrar are five or six springs. On the Madaba map, this place is called "Ainon, where now is Sapsaphas" (place of willows). Ainon or Aenon means "springs" in Aramaic.

But there is another Ainon on the Madaba map just south of Scythopolis; it is called Ainon near Salem, which corresponds to John 3:22-26, naming Ainon near Salem as a place where John baptized: After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. John also was baptizing in Ainon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. For John was not yet thrown into prison. There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.” Jesus' baptism occurred, then, on the opposite side of the Jordan from "Ainon near Salem." If this Ainon lay west of the river, then the passage is consistent with John 1:29 – Jesus was baptized at “Bethany beyond the Jordan.” The Madaba map places the baptism of Jesus, however, on the west, at a place called Bethabara, "place of the crossing." Could it be that the mapmaker put another Ainon on the east side so as to keep it opposite the place of the baptism? Or were there two Ainons? We cannot know. And why Bethabara? (If you think you're getting caught in the thicket of the Jordan, just wait.) Origen, ca. 250 AD, read in the best textual versions of John 1: 28 that Jesus was baptized at "Bethany beyond the Jordan," but the only Bethany he or his informants knew at the time was the one near Jerusalem.

He saw that a few later versions of the text gave the name as Bethabara. Origen wrote, "Near the Jordan river there is no site of the same name of Bethany; it seems, however, that near the river of Jordan they show Bethabara, where John is said to have baptized." Perhaps he was also influenced by the fact that Bethany can be taken to mean "the place of the boat" and Bethabara "the place of the crossing." (The Jordan could be forded about 800 meters south of here in summer and early fall, but in winter and spring people needed a ferry.) Yet despite John and Origen, by 333 the Bordeaux pilgrim found the baptismal site near the west bank, as did Theodosius around 530 and the maker of the Madaba map. Perhaps the Jordan had shifted. Let us try to emerge from the thicket! We return to the springs at the head of Wadi al-Kharrar. Nearby, to the south, are ruins of a village which, to judge from the pottery, was inhabited in Roman and Byzantine times.

It lies on and around Elijah's Hill (Tell Mar Elias or Tell al-Kharrar). The area includes a walled monastery which at one time had four churches. One of these has a freestanding arch, recently built, over the foundations of a 4th or 5th century church; here the late Pope John Paul II celebrated mass on his pilgrimage in the year 2000. One would think that this small village would have had enough water from the springs in the nearby wadi. Yet archaeologists found ceramic pipes that conveyed water several miles from other wadis. Once the water reached the monastery, it was channeled into settling tanks and then into three large pools on the hill’s northeastern side. Perhaps the pools and abundant water were used to baptize pilgrims. Could this village have been Bethany beyond the Jordan? The possibility is intriguing. There remain, however, nagging questions: If it was Bethany, wouldn't its name have been known to Origen? Yet he found no trace of a Bethany near the Jordan in the area indicated by Matthew and Mark. Perhaps the name had been changed. But the village had a significant Christian community in the Byzantine period, as indicated by the monastery and churches.

Wouldn't the Christian inhabitants have remembered with pride that their town had been the Bethany-beyond-Jordan where Jesus was baptized? And wouldn't the Byzantine pilgrims have mentioned this? They refer to the place as Elijah's Hill and "the place where John baptized," but never as Bethany. It seems reasonable, on the other hand, to connect the springs at the head of Wadi al-Kharrar with another passage in John. In 10:40 we read about "the place beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing at first" (John 10:40). Let us look at the passage in context (10: 39-42): They [the Jews of Jerusalem] sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand. He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, and there he stayed. Many came to him. They said, “John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man is true.” Many believed in him there. Then Jesus hears about Lazarus' death. He stays at the place beyond the Jordan for another two days.

On the fourth day since the death, he comes up to Lazarus' town of Bethany near Jerusalem. It is clear that the place across the Jordan where John had first baptized was near Jerusalem, a day's journey away. This would fit well with the springs at Wadi al-Kharrar and the nearby village. However, the place "where John had baptized at first" should not be conflated with Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John baptized Jesus. For this event occurred toward the end of John's life. The phrase "at first" could not have served to distinguish the place if John had continued baptizing there throughout his mission. What's more, the Baptist was itinerant. He worked throughout the region of the Jordan (Luke 3:3), for example at Ainon near Salem and, somewhere across the river, at elusive Bethany. The Baptism of Jesus according to John Having placed the baptism of Jesus at "Bethany beyond the Jordan" (John 1:28), the evangelist goes on to write that two of the Baptist's disciples heard him call Jesus "the Lamb of God." They followed Jesus, who invited them to stay with him.

"They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour" (1:39). The tenth hour would have been 4 p.m. John is following time very closely. One of the two was Andrew, who fetched his brother Simon. Jesus gives Simon the name Cephas, meaning Peter. Then we read: On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” "The third day" (John 2:1) Jesus attends the marriage at Cana of Galilee.

How could he get from the region of the Jordan near the Dead Sea to Cana of Galilee in a single day, or even in three (if Laney is correct in thinking that the "third day" would be the third day after Jesus decided to go to Galilee)? It is 70 miles as the crow flies, but at least 85 with the roads. To make such a journey within three days, even on a very cooperative donkey, seems a bit of a stretch. Besides, all the people mentioned near the baptism are northerners. Frankly, it just doesn't sound as though John had the southern end of the Jordan River in mind. It is difficult, therefore, to reconcile his account with those in Matthew and Mark. Note this too: Matthew and Mark don't mention the first disciples at or near Jesus' baptism in Judea; he first encounters them later, in the north. An alternative suggestion has been made by a number of scholars, including R. Steven Notley in The Sacred Bridge, pp. 350-51. He proposes that the references to Jerusalem and Judea in Matthew and Mark derive from the early Church's connection of the Baptist with Isaiah 40:3.

The Baptist is seen not as the leader of his own movement, but rather as the prophesied "voice in the wilderness" preparing the way for Jesus. In Isaiah 40:10 this voice speaks to the people of Jerusalem, and so, suggests Notley, Matthew and Mark mention the Jerusalemites at the baptism. This mention is thought to reflect the early Church's understanding of the Baptist as Isaiah's "voice in the wilderness" and ought not to be taken as a clue for locating the historical event. The naming of Bethany-beyond-Jordan in John, however, is a definite clue. Released from the need to reconcile Matthew and Mark with John, Notley searches elsewhere for Bethany. He takes up an old idea: the Bethany in question was not a town but a region: Bashan, between Mount Hermon and the Yarmuk.

Both "Bethany" and "Bashan" are rendered in Greek (by Josephus for instance) as "Betanea." Moreover, in the Septuagint version of Deuteronomy 4:47 and Joshua 9:10, the region of Bashan-Betanea is demarked as "beyond the Jordan." This interpretation also provides a new context for understanding the situation at the start of Jesus' public mission. According to Josephus, we have seen, the Baptist had attracted crowds. Here is Notley (Sacred Bridge, p. 351): John [the Baptist's] calling to the crowds to repent and ritually immerse in the regions of the Jordan above the Sea of Galilee may also explain the large crowds that Jesus encountered on the plains near Bethsaida, where he withdrew upon hearing of the Baptist's death (Matthew 14:13). According to Mark, when Jesus saw the crowds he had compassion for them, "because they were like sheep without a shepherd" (Mk 6:34).

With these words the Evangelist hints both to the relationship of the crowds with the recently deceased John, and the popular notion among some that John was the anticipated prophet-like Moses (Deut 18:18; Jn 1:25). Mark's creative use of the phrase—"sheep without a shepherd"—is intended to echo the same words spoken by the Lord to Moses in Numbers 27:17 …to emphasize the need for new leadership after his death. Was Jesus baptized by immersion or sprinkling? | CARM Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry Was Jesus baptized by immersion or sprinkling? by Matt Slick Many people automatically assume that Jesus was immersed at his baptism , but this is probably not the case. When we look at the context of his baptism and why he was baptized, it seems apparent that he was either sprinkled or had water poured upon him. When Jesus spoke to John the Baptist, he pointed to fulfilling the Old Testament Law. We have to ask, what Law? Let's look. Matthew 3:13-17, "Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?' 15 But Jesus answering said to him, 'Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he permitted Him. 16 And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'” If you focus on verse 15, you will see that Jesus said, "it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Jesus was born under the Law (Galatians 4:4) and came to fulfill that Law (Matthew 5:17). This means that Jesus had to do what the Old Testament Law required of him at his baptism. So, Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness (not to identify with sinners as so many say). Now we have to ask what Law it was that he had to fulfill.

It seems most consistent with scripture to say he was fulfilling the Law regarding entering into the Priesthood, so that ultimately he could be both the high priest and the sacrifice (Heb. 6:20; 7:25; Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:26; 10:12). When we examine the Old Testament requirements for entering the priesthood, you will notice some interesting parallels with Jesus' baptism. After all, Jesus is said to be a high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20).

NEW TESTAMENT VERSES 30 Years of Age Numbers 4:1-3, "Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 'Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ households, 3 from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.'" Luke 3:21-23, "Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” 23 And when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being supposedly the son of Joseph, the son of Eli . . . " Water Exodus 29:1,4, "This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect" . . .

4 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water." (Are they immersed in water at the doorway? Of course not. They have water applied to them). Leviticus 8:4-6, "So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting, 5 Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded to do. 6 Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near, and washed them with water." (In the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood at the doorway, does it makes sense to say that they were immersed in water, or that they were washed with water as the water was applied to them?) Numbers 8:7, "And thus you shall do to them, for their cleansing: sprinkle purifying water on them, and let them use a razor over their whole body, and wash their clothes, and they shall be clean." (In the cleansing of the Levites for the priesthood work, water was sprinkled on them. The Hebrew word is נָזָה [nazah /naw·zaw/] v.

24 occurrences; AV translates as “sprinkle” 24 times. 1 to spurt, spatter, sprinkle. 1A (Qal) to spurt, spatter. 1B (Hiphil) to cause to spurt, sprinkle upon. 2 to spring, leap. 2A (Hiphil) to cause to leap, startle). Matt. 3:16, "And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water;" Anointing with Oil (Holy Spirit) Exodus 29:7, "Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him." Leviticus 8:12, "Now the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites." Matt.

3:16, "and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him," Verbal Blessing Exodus 39:43, "And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it (regarding the tabernacle); just as the Lord had commanded, this they had done. So Moses blessed them." Number 6:22-27, "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 'Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, "Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: 24 The Lord bless you, and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace." 27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.” Matt.

3:17, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Hyssop If Jesus was sprinkled, as seems to be the case according to scripture, then it might have been done with a hyssop branch. Hyssop. An indigenous plant to western Asia and northern Africa, 1 Kin. 4:33. The Israelites used, in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb upon the lintels of their doors, Ex. 12:22; in sprinkling blood in purifications, Lev. 14:4, 6, 51, 52; Heb. 9:19. Used in the sacrifices of separation, Num. 19:6. Used in giving Jesus vinegar on the cross, John 19:29. 1 HYSSOP. The hyssop, or marjoram, plant grows to a height of 1 m. (3.3 ft.) and features stalks of many branches with small, fragrant, green leaves. The numerous hairy branches favor its use as a brush or aspergillum for ritual purposes (Exod. 12:22; Num.

19:6, 18; Ps. 51:7; cf. Heb. 9:19) or for the cleansing of lepers (Lev. 14:4, 6, 49–52). Moreover, like other labiates such as mint and thyme, marjoram contains a volatile oil making it attractive as a purifying agent. The use of hyssop as an aspergillum may explain the “sponge” full of vinegar that the Roman guards raised to Jesus’ lips as he hung upon the cross (John 19:29; cf. also the use of hyssop in flavoring wine), or perhaps John alludes to the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ death; although the stalks of the plant become woody as new shoots form each growing season, this would not have been sufficient to support a sponge (cf. par. Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:36; Gk. kálamos “reed”). 2 So Hyssop was a plant that was used ritualistically. In the four versus below, you will see that the first and fourth have hyssop being used with sprinkling.

Perhaps this is what was used in Jesus' baptism. Num. 19:18, "And a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the furnishings and on the persons who were there, and on the one who touched the bone or the one slain or the one dying naturally or the grave." Psalm 51:7, "Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." John 19:29, "A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop, and brought it up to His mouth." Heb. 9:19, "For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people." Jesus came out of the water One of the objections to the idea that Jesus was sprinkled according to Old Testament law is found in a New Testament passage.

Mark 1:9-10, "And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him." The emphasis is on the phrase "coming up out of the water." Some say this means he was immersed, but this is not necessarily so. When my children were younger and we went to the beach they would often wade out into the waves and be up to their knees in the water. I would sometimes say "get out of the water" when I thought the waves might be a bit too much for them. Their being in the water was not full immersion but a partial immersion. It was only their feet that were immersed, and their whole bodies were not. So, Jesus and John the Baptist could've easily been in the water of the Jordan River up to their knees or even their waists, but it doesn't necessitate that they were immersed.

So, it could've been that John the Baptist took a hyssop branch from the shore, dipped it in the water of the Jordan, and sprinkled it upon Jesus; and then they came up out of the water. Conclusion The purpose of this article is not to convince you that the only way Jesus could've been baptized was by sprinkling. However, when we look at the Old Testament context, when we consider that Jesus entered into the priesthood after the order Melchizedek, and when we see that the requirements of entering into priesthood work involved the sprinkling of water, it makes sense to say that Jesus may very well have been sprinkled at his baptism. 1. Swanson, James, and Orville Nave. New Nave’s Topical Bible. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, 1994. 2. Myers, Allen C. The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987. new testament - Why was Jesus baptised by John the Baptist? - Christianity Stack Exchange The Baptism of John was calling sinners to repentance. It was unusual in that it was treating the Jews as Gentiles.

Everyone was considered impure and needing washing at the door-step of the New Covenant: From wiki we get a clear definition of the Jewish Mikveh . It is correctly stated here that: Several biblical regulations specify that full immersion in water is required to regain ritual purity after ritually impure incidents have occurred. It signified washing impurity away. More applicable to our text Mikveh was used, and is still used today to convert Gentiles to Judaism. Here is a quote from the Jewish historian Alfred Edersheim on the subject: ‘the proselytes of righteousness,’ who became ‘children of the covenant,’ ‘perfect Israelites,’ Israelites in every respect, both as regarded duties and privileges. All writers are agreed that three things were required for the admission of such proselytes: Circumcision (Milah), Baptism (Tebhilah),and a Sacrifice (Qorban, in the case of women: baptism and sacrifice) - the latter consisting of a burnt-offering of a heifer, or of a pair of turtle doves or of young doves (Maimonides, Hilkh. Iss. Biah xiii. 5).

So the question remains why did Jesus submit to a baptism calling everyone to repentance for their sins, in preparation of Christ’s appearing? There are many views why Jesus was Baptized, some of the better views are; His coming as the Representative of a guilty race, or as the bearer of the sins of others, or of His surrendering Himself symbolically to death for man. However as Jesus came to ‘fulfill all righteousness’ it seems to best to say that He came to perform perfect obedience to Gods Law. This obedience not only included all the ceremonial, civil and moral laws given to Moses, but as Christ was not only God but man, He must also submit to the ministries of Prophets sent by God. Furthermore the level of consciousness that Jesus, as a man, had of His purpose and ministry seems to have taken a sudden increase after His submission. For it is hear that God declares from a voice from heaven and a visible token of His Spirit anointing Him for His ministry that he has the One whom God loved, that is the King Messiah, and also the suffering servant who He was well pleased with.

So His baptism was to fully comply with all Laws in order to have a righteousness that He could provide to sinners while the sins of the world were placed upon Him in return. This is why John says: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (NIV John 1:29) Jesus was presenting Himself as the Lamb in Baptism, to suffer all the sins of men punishable under the Laws of Moses. John was including the righteous Pharisees and sinful tax collectors as equally needing this baptism of repentance for sin. Jesus was the center upon which this baptism had meaning, for water does not cleanse. up vote 0 down vote John the Baptist was recognised by Jesus as "The greatest among those born of a woman." So this means that John was greater than Moses, greater than Elijah, Or Elisha, Perhaps, even greater than Abraham. John the baptist also introduced himself as "The voice shouting in the desert". He was to change people's hearts to God, just as Elijah did when the whole Israel turned to worship baal. John was worthy of reprenting the whole human race because he was raised by God.

He grew up in the desert, his food was honey and locusts and he wore feathery animal skin. So he grew up away from the people that time. His thinking was different from anyone else. John was also from the lineage of Aaron, the high priest. It is clear that only the people in the lineage of Aaron could be priests. Therefore, John the Baptist represented the rest of the world as the high priest used to do on the day of atornment. I assume you already know what used to happen during atornment. The priest 'laid his hands on the lamb'. This was to 'pass on' the sins of Israel onto an innocent lamb. then sacrifice it. The lamb bore Israel's sins and therefore had to pay the penalty of sin, death. Similary, this is what happened when Jesus was being baptised by John. Jesus was again identified as "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". John(as a high priest) laid his hands on Jesus(the Lamb). So the sins of man were 'passed on' to Jesus during his baptism. Jesus took all our sins on his head immediately he was laid hands on by John. "For it was fitting to fulfill God's righteousness".

That's the reason why Jesus had to pay for the sins he took. However, immersion in water represents death, coming out of water represents resurrection. But the laying on of hands represents the passing on of sin. up vote 0 down vote Why was Jesus baptised by John the Baptist? John was known for offering a baptism of repentance for those Israelites who wanted to experience a revival of their faith and make a public commitment to be more faithful. John objected to Jesus presenting himself for baptism. Matthew 3:13-15 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. We do not get a specific explanation of what the "fulfil all righteousness" meant. Two possibilities suggest themselves. The first is that there was a ritual washing for those who were to embark on a career in the priesthood and that this was to be emblematic of the ministry of Jesus.

Exodus 40:12-15 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; The second possibility is that God wanted to declare publicly the endorsement of the ministry of Jesus. We have an example of a previous public announcement of the birth of Jesus.

Matthew 3:16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Luke 2:8-11 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Jesus Did Not Baptize Jesus Did Not Baptize Jesus Did Not Baptize Ken E. Heaton The question of baptism has long plagued the minds of men as they sought to understand the importance of salvation and how to obtain the remission of sins.

Many debates have been conducted arguing the necessity of baptism and its relation to the remission of sins. While many do not reject the act of baptism, most deny the importance of its role in salvation. The apostle John records the visit of a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ( John 3 ) The lessons taught by Jesus this night clearly set forth the foundation of the entrance to the kingdom that was yet to come. The Son of God told Nicodemus that entrance into the kingdom of God could only be done by being born of water and of the Spirit. Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus meant and Jesus explained that this new birth was accomplished in believing in the death, burial and resurrection of the Christ (vv11-21). Obedience is found in the same passage as those who will come to the Light and obey the commands of the Lord. The teaching of Jesus during His short ministry was characterized by the preparation of the coming Kingdom. The many lessons He taught were the shadows of the true Kingdom that would come on the day of Pentecost ( Acts 2 ).

Following the discussion with Nicodemus, John records: "After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized." The work of Jesus and John the Baptist was characterized by teaching and baptism. Jesus had come into the land of Judea and in His teaching and the work of the disciples, baptized. The ministry of John the Baptist was also characterized by baptism. Matthew reports the preaching of John as repentance and confession of sins: "In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'É Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins" ( Matthew 3:1,2 ,5,6). In both ministries, baptism was a focal point of their teaching and the obedience of those who came to them.

Following the story of Nicodemus in John 3 , the apostle writes: "Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee" ( John 4:1-3 ). The ministry of Jesus was characterized by the importance of baptism although Jesus Himself did not baptize anyone. Baptism is not a dogma of the Church of Christ invented to establish some theological foundation of teaching. Baptism is a complete part of the ministry of Jesus, taught by Him, practiced by His disciples in the Gospels, commanded by Him ( Mark 16:15,16 ; Matthew 28:19 ) and practiced by His disciples today. Many today reject the importance of baptism as being necessary for salvation as many did in the days of Jesus. "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him" ( Luke 7:30 ). To be a disciple of Jesus in the Gospels required baptism! To be a disciple of Jesus today requires baptism.

To reject baptism as essential to salvation is not rejecting the counsel of men but rejecting the will of God. Jesus did not baptize anyone (for obvious reasons) but He commanded His disciples to do so as even today He commands all men to "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" ( Acts 2:38,39 ). Why was Jesus baptized? | CARM Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry Why was Jesus baptized? by Matt Slick Jesus was baptized in order to fulfill the legal requirements to enter into the priesthood. He was priest after the order of Melchizedek ( Psalm 110:4 ; Heb. 5:8-10 ; 6:20 ). Priests offered sacrifice to God on behalf of the people. Jesus became a sacrifice for our sin ( 1 Pet. 2:24 ; 2 Cor. 5:21 ) in His role as priest. What is baptism?

Baptism is ceremony where a person is identified with Christ's death and resurrection (Romans 6:4). The proper baptismal formula is as Jesus taught in Matthew 28:19, "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It signifies and seals our ingrafting into Christ and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of Grace and our engagement to be His. Quite simply, Jesus was baptized so he could enter into the Melchizedek priesthood, so He could be the High Priest and offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins . In Matthew 3:13-15 it says, "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, iI need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.'" Jesus got baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

Exodus 29:1-7, "This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect. And from fine wheat flour, without yeast, make bread, and cakes mixed with oil, and wafers spread with oil. Put them in a basket and present them in it--along with the bull and the two rams. Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breast piece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred diadem to the turban. Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head." Oil is a type of the Holy Spirit : "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth . . . As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.

But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him." (1 John 2:20, 27). The Holy Spirit descended from heaven as a dove and rested upon Jesus (Matt. 3:16). So, to repeat the opening statement, Jesus was baptized because He had to fulfill the legal requirements for entering into the priesthood. He was priest after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4; Heb. 5:8-10; 6:20). Priests offered sacrifice to God on behalf of the people. Jesus became a sacrifice for our sin (1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21) in His role as priest. To be consecrated as a priest, He had to be: Washed with water Exodus 29:1, 4, "This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect" . . . .

4 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water." Leviticus 8:6, "Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near, and washed them with water." Numbers 8:7, "And thus you shall do to them, for their cleansing: sprinkle purifying water on them, and let them use a razor over their whole body, and wash their clothes, and they shall be clean." Matthew 3:16, "And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him." Anointed with oil (represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit) Exodus 29:7, "Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him." Leviticus 8:12, "Now the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites." Matt.

3:16, "And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him." 1 John 2:20, 27, "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know . . . 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." Both of these were bestowed upon Jesus at His baptism. Additionally, He would have needed to be 30 years old.

Numbers 4:1-3, "Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 'Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ households, 3 from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.'" This was fulfilled in Luke 3:21-23 "Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” 23 And when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being supposedly the son of Joseph, the son of Eli . . . " Verbal Blessing was given. Exodus 39:43, "And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it (regarding the tabernacle); just as the Lord had commanded, this they had done.

So Moses blessed them." Number 6:22-27, "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: 24 The Lord bless you, and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ 27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.” Matthew 3:17, "and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'” "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7).

Question: In which body of water did John the Baptist baptise Jesus?
Answer: River Jordan